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Old 03-29-2012, 02:42 PM
 
6 posts, read 8,047 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi all,
My husband and I have been actively looking to relocate to Oak Park from Chicago with our young family. We've found a house we quite like just south of Rush hospital. Can anyone give us any guidance on the stretch of Harlem between Lake and the highway? We are a block off of this main drag (Madison and Harlem being the nearest intersection) and it seems a bit run down. Madison going into Forest Park's downtown is actually very charming though. We aren't worried about the gritty urban-ness of it just the overall vibe... Is this area sketchy (crime-wise) at all? This particular house (while north of the highway) feeds into the elementary school, Abraham Lincoln, south of the highway. Any further info you can provide on the area, school, ect.. would be much appreciated.
I really appreciate your help!
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Old 03-29-2012, 02:52 PM
 
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Which one are you on: Maple or Wisconsin?
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Old 03-29-2012, 03:37 PM
 
2,756 posts, read 4,413,441 times
Reputation: 7524
It's great. Not sketchy at all. Being a block off Harlem is totally fine, especially in that area. Yes, it is a busier street but there's nothing going on there of concern. Yes, it gets cuter when you walk into Forest Park on Madison. That has been a relatively new development of the Forest Park area, so it's nice you live so close to take advantage of that.

I grew up in that area, and still live nearby. But we fed into Longfellow for school.
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Old 03-30-2012, 11:31 AM
 
Location: Oak Park
214 posts, read 546,167 times
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I live in north Oak Park. That area is not known for any sort of crime issues that I am aware of. Seems like a nice neighborhood. Advantage is you can be downtown on a weekend in like 10 minutes.
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Old 03-30-2012, 11:35 AM
 
2,756 posts, read 4,413,441 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hatchetman View Post
I live in north Oak Park. That area is not known for any sort of crime issues that I am aware of. Seems like a nice neighborhood. Advantage is you can be downtown on a weekend in like 10 minutes.
Good point. The one advantage of being so close to Harlem is that you are on the expressway in no time...
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Old 03-30-2012, 01:31 PM
 
Location: Johns Island
2,502 posts, read 4,436,759 times
Reputation: 3767
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natalie5175 View Post
Hi all,
My husband and I have been actively looking to relocate to Oak Park from Chicago with our young family. We've found a house we quite like just south of Rush hospital. Can anyone give us any guidance on the stretch of Harlem between Lake and the highway? We are a block off of this main drag (Madison and Harlem being the nearest intersection) and it seems a bit run down. Madison going into Forest Park's downtown is actually very charming though. We aren't worried about the gritty urban-ness of it just the overall vibe... Is this area sketchy (crime-wise) at all? This particular house (while north of the highway) feeds into the elementary school, Abraham Lincoln, south of the highway. Any further info you can provide on the area, school, ect.. would be much appreciated.
I really appreciate your help!
This area is not sketchy at all, no crime issues of any significance. It doesn't get talked about much because it's kind of far from the "cool" areas of OP. In fact you may very well be closer to the business district at Oak Park Ave and the highway, than you are to downtown OP. The Avenue Ale House is nice!

Is Lincoln really the closest school? That is not a feasible walk for your kid to get to school - you'll have to drop off/pick up, or use the school buses.
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Old 03-30-2012, 05:01 PM
 
374 posts, read 1,036,640 times
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The busing system in Oak Park is amazing. Don't worry about the distance to school. I wish we were entitled to a bus. It is especially nice when you have a napping toddler (or two) and you won't have to wake him or her when you do school pick up.

Great area as well. People generally love Lincoln as well. They have a cool Spanish immersion program as well as a multiage classroom.
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Old 03-31-2012, 11:53 AM
 
2,563 posts, read 3,628,153 times
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That's a good area. Crime should not be a problem. Harlem is a very (very) busy street, but if you are a block or two off it, you won't notice. Lincoln is a very-well regarded school in OP.
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Old 04-01-2012, 09:21 AM
 
6 posts, read 8,047 times
Reputation: 10
Thanks so much for your replies, it's very helpful. The house itself is on Maple, literally just south of the hospital. I've heard positive things about Lincoln School and I'm glad to hear the bus system is good. It concerned me that the school wasn't in walking distance at first. We love what we know about Oak Park so far but we have been getting mixed reviews on schools and the neighborhood.
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Old 04-01-2012, 04:25 PM
 
Location: Johns Island
2,502 posts, read 4,436,759 times
Reputation: 3767
Mixed reviews on the schools and neighborhood, really? Would you mind describing the negative reviews you have received, please?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
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